Fighting For A Future
by moonhaku
Summary: SEQUEL It’s almost Hinata’s 21st birthday and all hell starts to break loose. Sasuke proposes but tradition holds Hinata back from accepting. How will she choose between her family and love? SasuHina; minor, one-sided NejiHina
1. Prologue: Warmest Rain of the Season

_**Fighting for a Future**_

**Summary: **SEQUEL It's almost Hinata's 21st birthday and all hell starts to break loose. Sasuke proposes but tradition holds Hinata back from accepting. How will she choose between her family and love? SasuHina; minor, one-sided NejiHina

**Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

* * *

**Prologue**

**: Warmest Rain of the Season :**

"_Will you marry me?"_

Hinata was still shell-shocked the morning after the proposal. It was obviously expected; but it still came as a surprise to her and everyone around her. Who knew that Sasuke would be so forthright with it? When it came to this moment, she had always thought that the answer would be so clear—how could she possibly refuse?

Yet she fought it off, tried to postpone her answer. For reasons that she didn't even know or comprehend. As soon as he got down on one knee and proposed, a terrible wall seemed to come between them. A wall that she couldn't pass through, only gaze through at the pained expression of her love's face when she stammered and stuttered that it wasn't possible. Her family permitted her to date, but when it came to marriage—she was promised to Itachi Uchiha.

For the good of the family.

As much as she loved and wanted—no, needed—Sasuke, there was no way that she could turn her back on her family. Being born in such a prestigious family had guaranteed her a life of luxury, comfort and high-class company—not that she needed any of it. But if only any humane feelings were left in such rigid competition. Hiashi had never failed to point out that the only reason she could attend Leaf Academy and thus meet Sasuke was because of their family's monstrous wealth and influence. He also reasoned that everything had their own price, and Hinata wasn't the only one who had to make sacrifices.

The only thing Hinata could do was to marry Itachi Uchiha and fulfill the role of a good wife. Her little sister, Hanabi, was still too young, and Itachi was well over the age of traditional marriage. He was already twenty-seven, not old, but at an age when he should already have children. Hinata was almost twenty-one. The perfect age; one year after officially being recognized as a woman and able to marry.

There was only three months until the arranged marriage ceremony. It was something that had been planned since Hinata's childhood—a future laid out for her. The only choice she had was to follow it obediently; fighting it would result in nothing and would bring shame on her clan. So Hinata had been ready to do just that and fulfill her father's wishes perfectly.

But then Sasuke had come along, streaking across the darkness of her life like a bright meteor, blinding her sight and making the darkness insufficient. In some ways, he was her obsession, her life but now, with the impossible impasse between them—the thought of him brought immeasurable pain to her heart.

She'd been trying to put off this day since the news reached her almost three years ago. But that time, Sasuke convinced her to forget about it—to enjoy the moment when it lasted. And she did. But good things never last forever, it faded too quickly—only to be replaced by the same debilitating darkness that enveloped her life so many years before. How could she live without her light, her life?

Now, three months from her dreaded birthday—something had to be done. Either way, a marriage will be in session. How could she possibly choose?

By marrying Sasuke Uchiha, she would be turning her back on her family, shaming their name and honor.

By marrying Itachi Uchiha, she would be breaking her own heart, not to mention Sasuke's—but then she would finally be making her father proud.

She stumbled out of the doors into the heavy rain pouring out of the sky. She stood, letting it soak her to the bone until her clothes clung to her like rags. Tears streamed down her faces, her heart fighting against itself as it struggled between family and love. Her's was a cage that was inescapable, a cage of rules, regulations and honor. Although she had been handed the key, she dare not venture near the forbidden door.

The rain felt so warm against her skin, so comforting…like it was washing everything away, maybe if she stayed here, she could forget everything. Forget about Sasuke, forget about falling irrevocably in love with him, forget about all the tender moments of those past three years and forget about the heartbreak she was experiencing.

She felt so cold, yet the rain splattered against her skin like droplets of warmth. Her heart was so cold, freezing her from the inside. Tradition against love. The competition raged in her chest. She could feel the old wounds in her heart reopening, ripping it to shreds. Strangely, she felt light-headed, almost floating.

Her legs buckled from underneath her and she crumpled to the ground while the rain battered her motionless and frozen body. It was so warm…

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**Author's Note: **This is just a prologue, so don't complain about it being too short! This fic will be more angsty than the prequel. Hopefully, I won't fail too much at that. I'll be trying to keep Itachi in character, but it'll be hard, since I haven't really wrote anything serious with him in it. Reviews and critique is GREATLY appreciated!

moonhaku

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	2. Betrayal of the Highest Standard

_**Fighting for a Future**_

**Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

* * *

**: Betrayal of the Highest Standard :**

The first thing Hinata noticed was the dull ache in her head. It was throbbing, making her want to shrink back into unconsciousness. Then she was dimly aware of another hand cradling her limp one. She struggled to open her eyes, but they remained closed as if locked together. A small whimper escaped her lips.

"Hinata?" There was a small intake of breath and a sigh of relief. Hinata immediately felt the pain fading away at the sound of his velvety voice. Then she felt him press his head into the crook of her shoulder and she tried to wrap an arm around him, but her arms refused to work. It felt so warm in his embrace…it was only then she realized that she was shivering.

"Kami…when I found you in the rain, I thought that you were dead," Sasuke whispered hoarsely in her ear. She cracked an eye open, then shutting it against the glaring white lights. "Thank God that you're alright…"

"S-sasuke..I—I", her cracked murmur was broken by a string of coughs. He let go of her and then something cool pressed against her mouth. Hinata gulped the refreshing water down weakly. After she heard the clink of the glass being set down, she whispered, "W-where am I?"

"In your room—but why were you outside? It was pouring!" The frustration and anger in his words was evident. "Do you have any idea—_any _idea how cold it was?"

"I—I…oh, I don't kn-know…", she felt tears come from her eyes again, not from his admonishing, but from the fact that she had caused him to worry about her. "It was so w-warm…"

"I should never have proposed. It turned you suicidal," he said bitterly. She felt him shifting his position by her bed, "You don't have to answer. I understand."

"It w-wasn't your fault, I was j-just thinking…" she peeked through a crack in her eyes at him, flinching at the pained expression on it.

"Thinking enough to make you walk out into a thunderstorm and then collapse into a dead faint. It would never have happened if I wasn't too busy," he countered her excuse flatly. Sasuke was frequently out on business ventures with his family, even more so now that he was set to graduate a year early. Hinata barely saw him outside of classes and rarely on weekends.

"It's your future," she replied, "I don't want to stand in your way…"

"Fainting in front of your dorm building doesn't make anything easier for me. I already called father; I'm not going anywhere for a month—in case you faint again."

"But Sasuke…", it wasn't that she didn't want to spend more time with him, it was that she just couldn't answer his proposal, couldn't give the answer that they both wanted. Looking at him everyday, being faced with the pained expression on his face when he thought she wasn't looking…it tore her apart. "I—I can't—"

She was silenced by the soft lips that pressed to her's. After a second, he pulled away, only a few inches from her. His black eyes were blazing with intensity.

"I won't ask for an answer. It'll come naturally," he leaned toward her, "For the time being, let's just try to make the most of life."

Then he grasped her waist, tilted her head upward and pressed his lips on her's once more.

* * *

Hinata smiled softly as she peered at Sasuke's sleeping face on the couch. The weather channel was still on and the remote was held loosely in his hand. His chest was rising and falling gently and the oddly peaceful expression on his face brought a small degree of comfort to Hinata. If she ever told him how she just sat for hours staring at his face, he would've never slept in front of her.

This Sasuke in front of her was vulnerable and innocent, not cold and calculating as usual. There were faint circles under his eyes—the result of worrying about her and his busy schedule. His dark spiky hair was longer, hanging a tiny bit below his shoulders. His family was pestering him to cut it, but Hinata knew that Sasuke like it better long. Not that she didn't enjoy it too. The hair made him seem more beautiful—an odd word to describe a boyfriend with, but not in this instance.

She bent down and pressed the power button on the television. The room was oddly chilly; well, it _was_ almost winter. Taking a seat on the couch and being careful not to disturb him proved to be harder than she had earlier supposed. He grunted slightly and she watched with resignation as his eyelids fluttered open. So much for not disturbing him.

A silent yawn escaped his lips as he blinked a few times, making the faint dark circles under his eyes more pronounced.

"Hinata…?" The words were slightly slurred. She grinned weakly.

"Um…sorry for waking you, you can g-go back to sleep now, Sasuke." She tried her best to be reassuring. Her heart sank a bit when he shook his head and hoisted himself up with one hand.

"Nah, I'm already awake. No need to worry." Hinata was completely unconvinced. The fatigue in his already-strained eyes was more than evident. Didn't he know that it hurt her to see him like this?

She permitted herself a defeated sigh. If there was anything that she learned about Sasuke in the past three years was that his decisions couldn't be shaken. And now he was determined to keep her company no matter how tired and stretched out he was. Hinata found herself to be immensely grateful that he would take a month off to focus on his last year of college.

"You look upset." There was unnecessary concern in his words. It pricked Hinata's heart to know that he was still _worrying_ about her, of all things. She tried to smile, tried to reassure him that nothing was wrong. It felt more like she was trying to reassure _herself_.

"I'm fine. N-no need to worry." The words came out fast and sharp; not at all how she intended them to. She flinched at her own words and hurriedly changed the subject before he could inquire more about her anxious mood. "What time is it?" A stupid question.

"Hm." He glanced at his watch, though Hinata seriously doubted that she'd managed to sidetrack him for even a second. "It's eight-thirty."

"Y-your English course starts in half an hour…"

"So eager to be rid of me?" Her breathing quickened for a moment, panicking that he was hurt somehow. She relaxed when she noticed he was smirking in that playful way of his. Heat rose up to her face. Here she was, acting all nervous and fidgety…while he was actually, actually _teasing her!_

"Gomen, that was a bad joke. I've made you uncomfortable." His soft voice startled her out of her reverie. She glanced up at him, smiling grimly.

"N-no…I…I've just—I mean…um," she tried to find the right words for her predicament and finally settled on the only possible excuse. Excluding the fact that she slept for well over three hours already, of course. "It's been a long day."

"Still sleepy?" His black eyes were sharp as always. Yes, she had a feeling that he was not at all fooled by her clumsy charade.

"Hai…" She whispered miserably, keeping up the failing act. Finally, the man beside her sighed and patted her head. Guilty relief overwhelmed her.

"In that case…I'll get going. 'Bye." He kissed her forehead.

"Come back soon." She mumbled, and then added for good measure, "I love you."

"Yeah. I hope so," his sigh was slightly muffled as he leaned into her hair. Then he spun off the couch and grabbed an umbrella along with his heavy gray backpack. And then with a slam of the door, he was gone. Hinata wiped at the tears gathering in her eyes while she stayed frozen to the spot on the couch.

_'I've made him sad…'_ That hurt more than anything else she could possibly imagine. _'I've caused him pain…'_ A second blow. A dry sob came out her half-open lips. _'It's all my fault…'_

She straightened up immediately. If it was her fault, then there had to be a way for her to fix it. Her mind was exhilarated as it ran through the impossible plan. It had to work. There was no way that God could be so cruel as to separate Sasuke from her. This was going to work.

Because that, was Hinata Hyuuga's will.

* * *

"Father, please—" Her voice was growing more quiet by the second. She could hardly help but trembled from the obvious tension in the room.

"No. I will never agree to your request. This discussion is closed, Hinata." His stern face was stony.

"Father, I—"

"Did you hear me!" She flinched as his voice thundered with anger. When it passed, she blinked tears out her eyes and fled to room. Her father looked on with slightly remorseful eyes. Did he do the right thing after all?

It didn't work. She should've known; it'd just been a foolish hope. Her father was never going to let her leave to clan, and there was nothing that he would listen to about he arranged marriage. It was all a blatant failure. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice him until she bumped right into his chest.

"O-oh, gomen…" She mumbled, wanting to get away.

"I should've noticed. It's my fault, I apologize." His deep, velvety voice stopped her in her tracks. She _knew_ that voice; it was so similar to Sasuke's, yet another world apart. Only one person could be standing in front of her.

"_Itachi Uchiha?_" The words that came out of her mouth were doubly confirmed when she looked up at his face for the first time. It looked like an older, more serious version of Sasuke's, with a more definite masculine edge to it. His hair was long, pulled into a ponytail just below his neck. It was midnight black; the same color of his eyes. Hinata couldn't help but stare dumbly at him.

"Yes, and who might you be?" There was an amused edge in his rumbling voice. Hinata's face flushed crimson. This was _so_ wrong. Incredibly and horribly _wrong_.

"I—I'm H-hinata H-hyuu-ga…" She managed to choke the words out. A flash of recognition sparked in those endless orbs and then was quickly replaced something Hinata could only describe as curiosity.

"So you're the Hyuuga…I see…" He looked somehow amused and surprised at the same time. A bead of cold sweat crawled down Hinata's cheek. Those eyes, they locked her feet, not letting them budge. She couldn't find the strength nor the mere _will_ to move. She only felt like she wanted to stay there. Forever staring at those fathomless eyes.

"Then…they have not lied…" He was murmuring quietly to himself.

"Ex-excuse m-me…?" _'They? Lied? What's he talking about?'_ Hinata stammered as she thought.

"You_ are _exquisite, much like…a flower of sorts…" She couldn't move, even when he stroked her cheek softly from ear to chin. It left a trail of fire, making her feel like she'd been instantly burned. But it was wrong. Not like what she felt for Sasuke. No…this was raw _attraction_, but at _what _or _why_, she was completely clueless.

"And your scent, it is much like apple blossoms…I find…" Her eyes were wide when he leaned forward, those dark eyes threatening to swallow her. Her knees quaked when he stopped, a mere inch away from her own face.

He smelled like light spring rain, different from the pleasant, musty smell that reminded her of Sasuke. He waited, and then leaned forward again, stopping when his lips were just above her's. The soft contact jerked Hinata out of the ice that held her before. She jerked away, stepping back quickly; covering her mouth in a horrified expression. _What_ had just happened?

"Hm. I will definitely enjoy stealing you away from my foolish little brother…until we meet again, Hinata-san…" He walked past her swiftly, maintaining the slightest distance between their bodies.

Hinata was frozen in place. Her pulse was racing and her mind was spinning. This couldn't be real. Itachi Uchiha kissed her. And she allowed it to happen. But she realized something that was even worse; she couldn't bring herself to _hate_ it.

"Hinata? What are you doing here?" His voice startled her and her face paled. Did he see anything? What would he think? "I thought you were sleeping…"

Hinata tried to smile when Sasuke jogged up to her.

"I—I couldn't sleep."

"Ah." He was immediately tense. Hinata cringed when he seemed to be ready to ask _why_ exactly she was in the Hyuuga building. Instead, he smiled and offered an arm.

"Class was cancelled. Want to go back?"

"O-okay…" Hinata managed to accept his hand though her's was trembling violently. Relief washed over her when she felt overwhelming love pour through her as she walked alongside her. _This_ was right. _This_ was the man she fell for and loved. _This_ was the man she wanted to spend the rest of life with.

They stopped in front of her door. Sasuke let go of her reluctantly.

"Well, I guess I'll be going."

"Hai…"

He leaned in, aiming for her lips. The warmth in Hinata's heart faded rapidly. Suddenly the man in front of her was not Sasuke Uchiha, but Itachi Uchiha. _No, no, no…_ She quavered, turning her face so his kiss landed on her right cheek. He looked at her, puzzled by her sudden behavior.

"Gomen, Sasuke…I'm just a bit tired today…" She mumbled, flushing an unimaginable crimson. This was Sasuke standing in front of her. Not Itachi. This was right. Not wrong. That kiss was not her fault. But why couldn't she erase that guilty feeling in her chest?

After closing the door, she flopped onto her bed. Her mind was empty, racing to the subject that she tried to ignore.

Yes, she had betrayed him. That kiss was not accidental; Hinata had, somewhere in the depths of her soul, _wanted_ it. She couldn't look back on it with any disgust; only horror at what she had done. Why hadn't she told Sasuke? Then…then he would tell her it was all right. Then she wouldn't feel so horrible, so monstrous.

But she knew what he would really be thinking. It was the same thing that kept repeating in her own mind.

It was betrayal. More because she had actually _wanted_ it, _welcomed_ it, even. This was not just rugged betrayal; with an unwilling victim. Hinata had been simply willing.

This was betrayal…of the highest standard.

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**Author's Note: EPIC FAIL** D8. I see why I can't write angst or Itachi. This was incredibly hard for me to write, and I had to ponder on this for a long time. This chapter was mostly the reason why I couldn't upload the prologue faster. I had no idea what to write. I hope it wasn't too bad, and I really hope it was up to par. Thank you **SO MUCH** for the **ENORMOUS** number of reviews (I was surprised)!!

You know the drill, please review!

-moonhaku

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	3. An Explanation

**Fighting For A Future**

**Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

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**

**: An Explanation :**

Pheromones.

That was the explanation, after hours and days of thought, for her problems. It was radically and ridiculously simple.

The only reason she had been attracted to Itachi Uchiha was because he had a magical number of pheromones. It made perfect sense.

Smack

She threw a pillow at the beige wall, making a satisfying smacking sound when it hit.

"Who am I kidding?" Hinata mumbled, covering her face with a blanket. Pheromones, she knew, were definitely not the problem when it came to the devastatingly beautiful and magnetic, as he seemed, Itachi Uchiha. Even if her super-pheromone mutant theory proved true, it wouldn't have captured her in its spell after a second and sent her heart soaring to the clouds. That was only the beginning of her problems.

It'd been days since _that _incident and she hadn't seen Sasuke since. It wasn't that she was unwilling (okay, maybe a little), but he had been called out for an emergency business trip – even though his father had promised that he would get a sabbatical. Hinata barely spoke to him anymore – only little rushed snippets on the phone here and there. From what she could gather, Sasuke was returning in a day or two, maybe sooner.

And Itachi wasn't with him.

That was also another reason Hinata had tried to avoid any outside contact. Something told her that she would inevitably meet up with the elder Uchiha sooner or later, even if she stayed shut up in her dorm room forever. But staying in her room was the lesser evil compared to what might happen if she dared venture out into the big, bad world with Itachi Uchiha prowling about. Not that anything _would _happen…

Her mind drifted back to the exact second that her lips touched Itachi's. It was something that had tormented her for days and showed up in her dreams. The smell of damp moss on his hair, the silky softness of his lips, his dark, bottomless eyes…it tormented her dreadfully.

But one thing was for certain. She knew that she did not love Itachi Uchiha, no matter how attractive and how infatuated she was at the moment.

, she repeated it to herself like mantra, _I love Sasuke, not Ita-that…that guy, only Sasuke_. _Sasuke… _

As if it were a spell, she heard someone approach the door and knock on it. She froze. Her mind raced frantically, trying to determine who it was. It couldn't be Naruto or Sakura, they were out on a date. Sasuke was still in Brazil or Spain or some other place that spoke Spanish, Portuguese or whatever. Neji was still working on his thesis and Tenten was away for a national karate competition. She gulped. There was no other possibility.

It was him.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she hugged to pillow tightly, willing her legs to stay in place and not go to open that door. But years of courtesy got to her and she tossed the pillow aside as she walked through the door. She stopped for a second, her fingers quaking.

She was definitely going to regret this.

"Hello," a voice like a satin waterfall enveloped her. Hinata looked up, her face drained of color. She was right. It was Itachi Uchiha.

"H-hello," she choked on her words as the light, misty smell of a forest hit her. Magical number of pheromones indeed.

"May I come in?" His black eyes stared intently at her and she felt her knees become weak. Through some superhuman effort, she tore her eyes away from those endless orbs and tried to make her voice sound confident again. _Come on, _she thought, _you practice with Sasuke – be more confident! _The sound of his name in her mind gave her a small boost of strength.

"Wh-why did you do that?" She asked, knowing full well that he would know what she was talking about.

"What?" Oh, he was going to play the fool? Hinata felt herself getting angry, something that rarely happened. She looked at him, focusing on the space right next to him so she wouldn't fall under that mysterious trance again.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Would you care to remind me about it, Hinata-san?" He seemed amused, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Fine," she took a deep, quavering breath. "You kissed me. Why?"

"Oh that," he looked as if he were about to laugh. Hinata was unwilling to admit how beautiful he looked. "Such a little, insignificant matter. You were worried about that?"

"Yes." She felt embarrassed all of the sudden. Was it really such a small thing? Was she really blowing it out of proportion?

"It was just curiosity, my little flower," he almost purred.

"Don't call me that," she snapped. She felt her cheeks flushing. _My little flower…damn_, Hinata was surprised at the violent emotions that he was stirring within her. "I-I'm not your little flower. You don't own me."

"Neither does my brother." He suddenly seemed very serious. "Remember, at the end of the day, you still belong to me. Never forget that, Hinata."

"Oh really?" She retorted, knowing that it was horribly weak. Already her anger was abating. Silently, she cursed herself for being so soft. She had never been good at being angry.

"You've already asked your father about it," he stated simply. "He refused. There is nothing you can do."

She simply stared at him, not knowing what else to say. Inside, her heart felt like it was ripping to shreds. Why did everything he says have to be so true?

"You may be willing fight, little flower," Itachi paused, capturing her reluctant gaze, "but will my brother?"

"Of course!" She could feel herself faltering. He had brought forth a doubt that she had hidden away, tucked away in a corner of her mind. "O-of course he would…" The words trailed off.

Again, the elder Uchiha smiled and made his face all the more devastatingly beautiful. Hinata felt like she hated herself when she felt tears flow down her cheeks. Itachi's question had really punched a hole in her. The truth was, she _didn't _know if Sasuke really cared at all. Would he really be willing to fight for her? Or would he back down and leave her looking like a fool? Hinata couldn't react when Itachi's hand stroked her cheek softly.

"What the _hell?_" Her eyes widened at the voice. _Sasuke! _Frantically, she wiped to tears off her face and tried to compose herself. When she looked over, she winced at the fury and jealousy in Sasuke's eyes. Thankfully, he was focused on his older brother, who didn't even seem to notice him. "Get your filthy hands _off _Hinata, Itachi."

"Ah!" Hinata gasped as Itachi pulled wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her close to him. She shivered from the cold contact of their bodies. He whispered hotly in her ear, "We'll see how he fights, little flower." Then he let her go, and walked away, past a dumbstruck Sasuke and away from Hinata, who was blushing furiously. The place where his lips had brushed her ear burned like fire.

After a moment, Hinata's legs gave out and she fell on the floor. This seemed to jolt Sasuke out of his reverie as he ran to help her. She burst into tears, knowing that Itachi had already affected her hopelessly. The doubts he had raised within her were unable to be countered. Would Sasuke really defy tradition for her?

"What happened, Hinata?" Sasuke put his shaking hands around her shoulders as she looked down miserably at the floor. "Look at me!"

Instead, she just sobbed. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. After a while, when her tears had lessened a little, he pulled her from the floor and led her into her dorm room, setting her down on the couch.

His eyes were still burning from rage. Itachi had _dared _to put a hand on what was _his_. _What the hell is going on, _Sasuke wanted to shout and rage and scream, but one look at Hinata and he immediately softened. Softly, he tapped her on the shoulder, whispering little comforts.

"What happened, Hinata?" He tried not to let his frantic jealousy show through. After a moment, she shuddered and tried to speak through the stutters that where peppering her words.

"H-he-he-he t-told m-m-me th-that y-you," she took a deep breath, trying without result to calm herself down. "th-that y-y-you di-did-didn't c-care. Th-that y-y-you d-didn't c-care i-if-if I-I-I g-got m-m-m-married to-to-to h-h-him."

"And you believed him?" He was angry at her lack of faith. She nodded miserably, not daring to look at him.

"Hinata, look at me," he said softly. When she didn't, he cupped her cheek and gently brought her tear-streaked face up. His heart jerked painfully at how many tears she had shed.

"I will never, ever hand you away. You are _mine_. I'm disappointed that you believed him so easily. Don't you know that I love you?" He brushed the remaining tears away from her face and tried to smile encouragingly. Hinata wasn't convinced.

"Y-yeah…" she whispered shakily. He put an arm around her, rocking softly as she fell asleep, tired from her trouble. Lightly, he laid her down on the couch and covered her with a blanket. He kissed her forehead softly and stood up.

His brother had some explaining to do.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Yes, I know, it's significantly shorter and there really aren't any happy moments. But please bear with it! This story will end in 4 more chapters; it was supposed to be more of an epilogue thing anyway. I'm SO SORRY for not updating sooner; school and art really got to me and I had massive writer's block. I'm really grateful that you've kept supporting this story. And I PROMISE that I'll update faster. I planned out the structure of the story to prevent writer's block, so I expect to finish this before the end of February. Seriously. **Please review! :]**

moonhaku 


	4. Tea Time at 4 o'clock

_**Fighting For A Future**_

**Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

**

**: Tea Time at 4 o'clock :**

Right now, Sasuke Uchiha was a dangerous person to meddle with. His black obsidian eyes were filled with hatred and it practically emanated from his whole body, repelling anyone around him. When a small child visiting with her mother burst into tears upon seeing him, Sasuke sighed and ran a tense hand through his dark hair. This wouldn't do. He had always been the emotional one between the two brothers.

It was why Sasuke had never won an argument. He'd never been rational enough to counteract any of Itachi's smoothly spoken justifications.

Just mentioning the name was enough for his eyes to snap open in rage. There would be no justification this time. Itachi has transgressed all rules when he touched Hinata.

This time, Sasuke would win.

He knew that Itachi was still lurking around the university, but he really didn't care if he wasn't. Either way, that man was not going to escape from his clutches. Occasionally, he stopped for directions, which were usually given without any hesitation upon them seeing his murderous intent. It was clearly directed toward the man Sasuke described, but feeling it was enough to cringe.

"Augh," Sasuke rubbed his forehead. He had meant to make a quick stop by Hinata's dorm, kiss or take a nap or even both. But he had to run into his stupid older brother. Now his earlier sleep deprivation was catching up on him. Some part of him still wished he was in Argentina, but he knew it was better to resolve this problem sooner, not later.

As he walked, he noticed a tall, dark haired figure not far in front of him. Sasuke's blood boiled just thinking about how Itachi had whispered in Hinata's soft ear. He knew how loose his brother was with women. They were just creatures to satisfy his temporary lusts – that was all. He was not about to let Hinata become another toy.

Only God knew how many mistresses and affairs Itachi would have if Sasuke allowed the arranged marriage to go through. But he had tried to _seduce _Hinata.

It was downright unforgivable.

He caught up with the slowing figure and rudely jerked him aside. Black eyes met black. Itachi smiled, knowing that they were now the same height. But to Sasuke, Itachi still seemed to tower over him. However, he didn't let any of that show as he glared at his older brother.

"You better have an explanation prepared, Itachi."

"Tch," his brother smiled arrogantly in a way that made Sasuke want to punch him, gladly. "Fool. You know nothing. You're still the simpering little kid who used to follow me around, calling me 'aniki', 'aniki'"

Sasuke exhaled, it would do him no good to punch Itachi in the face. But it would feel damn good. He curled his fingers into his palm, not noticing if his short nails bit into his skin.

"Why did you do that to Hinata?" He said through gritted teeth.

"She _is _my fiancé last time I checked, foolish little brother," Itachi replied. "You know I would never force a kiss upon a woman who wasn't willing."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. That much was true; but there had never been any woman who could resist Itachi's charms. He felt his heart sink as he realized that maybe Hinata wasn't even resistant.

Itachi smiled at the sudden loss of fighting spirit within Sasuke. So easily derailed, how pathetic.

"You seem to have no faith in this woman you claim to love," Itachi stated calmly. To Sasuke, it was like driving a stake into his heart. Talk about adding salt to his wounds. "If it continues on like this, it's better if I just take her now."

"No!" Sasuke growled, but he felt burdened by the heavy truth. He felt the sharp pain of his nails drawing blood as he curled his hands into a tight fist. "That's not true."

"That," Itachi said, "is something you must decide for yourself. Maybe you do not know her as well as you think, foolish little brother."

"Che. Whatever gave you that idea?" Sasuke glared at him. Blood trickled down his wounded palm. "As if you would know her better."

"While I do not," Itachi continued nonchalantly, as if he were discussing the weather. "I do know that a man has to take responsibility, not act like a mouse, waiting for his woman to take charge."

"I am not a mouse!" _That was it_, thought Sasuke, _I am totally going to punch this bastard into the next life. _

"Then stop hiding behind her," his black eyes seemed to be stern for a moment, then flickered back to their previously blasé state. "Well, I have an appointment with an important customer soon. It was pleasant talking to you, little brother."

Sasuke didn't even turn as Itachi had left. His shoulders were slumped as he contemplated Itachi's words. They didn't make sense; the conversation had totally turned on him. That wasn't the way it was supposed to go. Sasuke was supposed to exact revenge; instead, Itachi had struck an even harder blow, sending him sprawling.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. The clock tower chimed 4 o'clock. Tea time. Listlessly, he walked toward a café, contemplating what his brother had just said. Instead of hostility, it had sounded like Itachi was providing him with advice.

"Hey! Sasuke!" He slowly turned his head toward the familiar, high-pitched voice. It was Sakura Haruno. "Sit down, sit down." She gestured to a chair next to her. There was a pot of coffee on the table and two cups, as if she were expecting a visitor. Sasuke approached her apprehensively; they hadn't seen each other for a few months. While he knew that the pink-haired woman was no longer infatuated with him, he was still a bit nervous.

"How have you been!" She inquired in a cheerful voice. "I mean, we haven't seen each other for _such _a long time. I almost forgot how hard it was talking with you, it's like talking to a brick wall."

"Che," he grunted, not finding the point in her incessant chattering.

"Anyway, how are things going with Hinata? You guys are still together right?" Her eyes were worried when he didn't reply after a moment. "Right?" her voice was softer now, as if she was trying to tread softly on a sensitive topic.

"We're," Sasuke tried to find the right words. "Fine. Yeah, we're doing fine, nothing to worry about. Nope." _At least that's what it should be like. _

The pink-haired woman eyed him, taking in the frustrated look and weary eyes. He was obviously lying to her, but there was no way to force him to say anything he didn't want to. That was Hinata's prerogative. Besides, did she mention that Sasuke happened to be a freaking brick wall when it came to talking?

"Here," Sakura took the coffee pot and poured some into Sasuke's cup. She had been waiting for Naruto, but it Sasuke looked as if he needed it more. "Drink some while it's hot."

"It's too sweet."

"I know," she sighed. Why had she ever liked this man to begin with? Taking her own cup, she poured more cream in and stirred. Sasuke had never been one for sweet things. He always took his coffee black. "It wasn't for you anyway. I was waiting for Naruto."

"Oh." He seemed mildly surprised and greatly relieved. Putting down the still-full cup, he said, "Then I should probably get going."

"No, no," she waved dismissively. "Just stay. Naruto's late anyway. You look like you need someone to talk to."

His eyes narrowed, but he followed her directions and almost slumped into the chair. The world felt like it was crashing down all around him. _I just want a rest!_ He thought, _is that really too much to ask for? _

"So," she paused to take a sip. "How _are_ you and Hinata doing?"

"We doing fine," he replied automatically.

"_No, _you are _not _doing fine."

Her imperious tone surprised him. Staring at her impassively, he chuckled dryly. "You don't know that."

"Well, I may not know the specifics, but I think I would know when something is horribly wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," he muttered, "Everything is fine."

"Liar," she continued, carefully avoiding his gaze. "If everything was fine, you wouldn't be outside, wandering around, going nowhere. You would probably be cuddled up with Hinata or something like that."

"Che."

_He's so damn stubborn, _her eyebrows furrowed. _But I _have _to know what's wrong. This is so annoying."_God_damn_ it, Uchiha. You _will _tell me everything right now, or else I will go to Hinata's dorm right now and get the damn truth out of her."

"You wouldn't dare." But her look told her that she would, and happily. Finally, he sighed and ran a rigid hand through his black hair. "There have been some…problems," he admitted. "But we can deal with it."

"Sure doesn't look like it." Sakura muttered. "You didn't get her pregnant did you?"

"What the _hell_?" Seeing how he didn't even flinch at her question, she took this as an affirmative '_no'. _

"It's just that, well," Sasuke sighed. "It's a long story."

"And I have," Sakura checked her watch, "thirty minutes. Condense it."

"Okay," he took a breath. Obviously he wasn't getting out of this without Sakura playing psychologist on him. "So I asked Hinata to marry me a few weeks ago. She was really stressed about that since she's apparently engaged to Itachi, my older brother." Sakura's eyes widened. "So I had to go on the business trip, and when I come back, I see Itachi standing in front of her dorm room, looking like he was ready to kiss her." His voice trembled with anger as he thought back to that moment. "She was crying, and they seemed really surprised to see me. Then Itachi goes and," he took a deep breath to calm himself. "and he goes and whispers in her ear. Like they had some secret to share; he looked so damn _pleased _with himself. Hinata wouldn't tell me anything, she only said something about Itachi telling her that I wasn't really in love with her."

"So I went to go find Itachi," he continued. "And he tells me that Hinata probably wanted it, and then spouts some sort of crap, saying that I was a coward and only hid behind Hinata. Damn," Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose again, "it makes me so _angry._ As if he would know anything. And Hinata too, she doesn't seem to _get _it. How could she let him shake her so easily!"

There was a moment of silence between them as the wind picked up slightly and a chill went through the air. Winter was fast approaching, already, it was November. Sakura took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I don't blame her, Sasuke." Her eyes were wide, as if trying to make him understand. "You can't imagine what kind of pain and stress she's endured."

"_What_?" He hissed, "How would _you _know?"

"I am a woman too," Sakura snapped. "I know that we want a man who will fight for us and be our knight in shining armor. What use is there in falling in love if there's no one to catch us? You've been incredibly selfish, Sasuke. All you care about is how tired you are, and you think that she could just ignore it? She's worried about you, probably so much it's breaking her heart. It's not as if the poor girl doesn't _want _to marry you. She's probably already tried, but with no one to support her, there's no use."

"She would've told me."

"No." She smiled sadly, "That was her mistake, to be sure, but it was all in goodwill. You already have so much on your shoulders, so Hinata probably thought that she was just being a burden. But don't you see? If you keep letting this go on, you will be _exactly _what your brother said you were. Hinata needs someone who is willing to fight for her. Stop letting her do all the talking!" She pointed on manicured hand toward the dark-haired man, "You need to man up and take responsibility for this whole mess. Go right back to that dorm room and tell her that she doesn't need to worry anymore. If I see any gray hairs the next time I see you two, they better be yours."

"Tch…" Sasuke stared at the lamppost behind Sakura. As much as he hated it, the woman had a point. He really had been quite selfish for the past few weeks. He'd asked Hinata to marry him without really thinking about the implications. Then he had left Hinata to deal with on her own. In retrospect, he really was a horrible person. At his seemingly unaffected face, Sakura prepared to shake some sense into him when he got up abruptly and left.

"Hey!" She called after him, "So you'll think about it?" When he didn't reply, she sighed. To her surprise, the cup beside her was drained. Muttering to herself, she poured another cup for herself. How did Sasuke and Hinata's problems become her's?

"Hey Sakura!" She perked up at the cheerful voice, following it to a tall blond man with broad shoulders. Naruto. Waving him over, she crossed her legs and smiled. Oh well, she had said all she could. It was up to them to solve their problem.

"Have you been waiting long?" He sat down, eyes shining.

"Nope," she said, "I was just getting started.

Sasuke's walk turned into an impatient jog as he turned to the hallway where Hinata lived. He hoped that she had not woken up yet, so he could reassure her. He reached the door and turned the doorknob, it wasn't locked. Slowly, he opened up the door, half-expecting to find her on the couch. When he saw the living room was empty, he breathed a sigh of relief and walked in, closing the door gently behind him. Unhurriedly, he made his way to her bedroom. The door was open. He stopped outside and looked in carefully.

She wasn't there.

Telling himself not to panic, he walked over to her bathroom, knocking on the door a few times. When there was no reply, he opened the door. There was no one there. Panic rising, he called out her name tentatively. There was no response.

Hinata was gone.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hee hee hee, cliffhanger! It seems like I'll probably finish the story before the end of the month, with the way I'm updating. Oh well, I'm just making up for the year of not updating. I won't finish the story and wait a few weeks just to rack up reviews, which I am sometimes sorely tempted to do. **But please review, it's always an incredible encouragement!**

moonhaku 


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